Raymond Clarke has a commanding lead going into the second-last of 10 events to count in the Callcard Classic League on Sunday, the Tour of Armagh at Lurgan (12.0).
Clarke, of the Premier team in Clonmel, won two of the races, the Noel Hammond memorial at Ballyboughal and the Mayo Grand Prix at Clonbur, while he failed to pick up points in only two events.
Clarke has a total of 57 points with David Peelo his closest challenger on 44. Tommy Evans is third on 39, Ciaran Power is next on 35 followed by Bill Moore 28, Richie McCauley 27 and Paddy Moriarty 26.
In the Kingdom series last week, Clarke continued to show good form and clearly emerged best with 48 points, to 32 for the runner-up John Blackwell. The classic league finishes with the Emerald promotion at Ballyboughal on August 31st, and although there is 15 points for a win, Clarke must be hot favourite to stay on top.
The St Finbarr's two-day race is for second category licence holders and veterans. Stage one starts in Cork tomorrow evening (5.0) with a time trial at Ballincollig on Sunday morning (9.30) and the final stage at Whitechurch (2.0).
Following the revelation that a banned substance was found in a urine sample taken from Karl Donnelly, after he finished third behind Evans and Declan McMackin in the Tour of the Mournes at Newry on Sunday, July 6th, the nine points have been deducted and the others behind him move up a place - Clarke was fourth.
Donnelly, a member of the Dublin club IRC-Amev, was out in front on his own for nearly half of the 72 miles in the Mourne Mountains, including the ascent of the Spelga Pass. He has been racing in Belgium since mid-July, but has been suspended for eight weeks, which means his season is now over and a heavy cloud hangs over what he has achieved, particularly fifth overall in the Ras in May and a win in the classic league race at Naas in June. This is the first time a test on an Irish rider was positive since David Hourigan, after he won stage one of the 1994 FBD Milk Ras into Drogheda, and the Limerick man only reappeared in competition at the beginning of this season - and won the first race at Navan.
Because of the cost, very few medical checks are carried out at Irish events, but obviously more are required and grants should be made available to do so.
Garristown Grand Prix: 1, R Mitchell (Morrissey's); 2, M Smith (Flogas); 3, B Moore (Stamullen); 4, M Sutcliffe (Amev); 5, K O'Sullivan (Sorrento); 6, C Bracken (Amev). Second category: B Kelly (unattached). Junior: 1, P Dunne (Rapparee); 2, D Finnegan (Cuchulainn); 3, T Hogan (Blackwater). Veteran: T Lavery (Garda). Women: K Gill (Navan). Under-16: G Stapleton (Amev); 14: P Duffy (Cuchulainn); 12: P Brady (Emyvale).
